Centronics Printer Interface
AERCO, Acme Electric Robot Company
Box 18993
Austin, Texas 78760
The untimely demise of Timex as a computer company left the American Sinclair computer owner in a real pickle. Fortunately, Sinclair has always encouraged the after market producers of software and peripherals. A number of these barnstormers in computer excellence have continued to support the entire line of TS computers. Of special note is AERCO. AERCO produced a line of printer and disk drive interface cables for the ZX 81/TS 1000, 1500 computers. They have now introduced a printer interface and project the introduction of a disk drive interface for the TS 2068.
It is this type of interface which allows the TS 2068 to utilize its full potential. Recently, I connected my 2068 to my Gemini 10X printer using the AERCO interface. The cable connection took only a moment. My next step was to customize my programs for use with the printer. This proved far more difficult. AERCO has a simple and very user friendly method for customizing programs for use with the 10X. All one needs to do is: 1. Enter the printer driver software; 2. Do the customize routine; 3. Do the printer test routine. No problems with the 10X; 4. Do the load routine and enter your regular program.
From this point on, you proceed normally using your program and utilizing your printer for output. If you wish, the program has provisions for entering the program line of your Timex programs in order that you might further customize the program or save it on another tape.
All and all this is a well thought out system. Unfortunately, AERCO didn’t spend enough time on their documentation of their printer driver software to let you know what a good job they have done. Instead, they used the “hieroglyphic” system of documentation. The consequence. It took me two days of trial and error to figure out what they should have said up front and from the beginning. TSH